Turner Prize
Organised by the
Tate gallery, the Turner
Prize is is probably the best known British Art competition.
Named after the artist J.M.W Turner it began in 1984 and is
awarded annually to a British artist under 50.
Nominations for the prize are invited from the
public during May, the short list of four artists is announced
in July, the show opens at the Tate Britain in late October.
The prize is not judged on the show, however, but on the
artists' contribution to art over the previous year and the
prize awarded at the beginning of December.
The exhibition and prize is funded on
commercial sponsorship. Presently it is sponsored by Gordon’s
Gin with £40,000 total prize money, £5,000 going to each of
the short-listed artists, and £25,000 to the winner.
The Turner prize is a real media success story. The artists
work is usually controversial using various media, including
video ,installations or bizarre sculpture, though painters
have won.
Beck's Futures
Established
in 2000,
Beck's Futures is a British art prize, sponsored by Beck’s
Beer to provide UK-based artists with recognition and support
at a crucial stage in their development. Since then it has
established itself as one of the most generous and highly
regarded national annual arts prizes.
Although
it does not receive as much publicity as the Turner prize it
is just as controversial and the prize fund is larger. The
participating artists share a £40,000 awards-fund, with one
artist selected as the overall winner and receives further £20,000
in prize money. |
